Author Topic: (x) 91K 6618 (Read 436 times)

mubodude · « **on:** May 25, 2007, 02:07:16 AM »

Hello all, newbie here. Not only new to Alembic, but new to bass as well. I'm an old guitarist of many years and have decided to take on bass as a new musical avenue to explore. I have always loved Alembic since their first ads in Guitar Player magazine. Right up there with Moonstone. These are special. John Entwistle is in my top 5 bassists, so hearing and seeing him play his models up close and personal was really inspiring and I've wanted one all this time. This one I just scored is an Essence 4, all maple, quilt top and fretless. Not only is this my first Alembic, but my first fretless! It's incredible. You learn to play with your ears rather than by sight with the frets and markers landscape. It immediately takes me to Mingus or Ron Carter territory. I also have a Ric 4003, a Fender MIJ '53 Precision reissue Sting model and a Carvin LB70 (I'm a Carvin fanatic!).

Any info on this masterpiece would be sincerely appreciated. I also have an Epic 4 en route that apparently has some finish wear and tear and will be looking into how to go about a factory refurb to make it perfect again. I'll have to see. If it's rough, it'd be worth it to me to have it brought back to its factory fresh glory again. I'll post that one next week.

Thanks again!

(Message edited by mubodude on May 25, 2007)

mubodude · « **Reply #1 on:** May 25, 2007, 10:50:52 AM »

lbpesq · « **Reply #2 on:** May 25, 2007, 11:03:42 AM »

John:

Welcome to the club from across the Bay (Oakland). Very pretty instrument. If you haven't already, you should really cruise up 101 to the Hearn Avenue exit and go visit the factory. Wonderfully friendly people, incredible instruments in all states of construction, a bunch of 'em hanging in the showroom, a rig to plug into, check 'em all out!

Bill, the guitar one

tbrannon · « **Reply #3 on:** May 25, 2007, 12:05:37 PM »

Welcome John-

You sound as though you've caught the fever. Congratulations are in order because that is a lovely bass. Make sure you post pictures of the Epic when it arrives. I'm the proud papa of a Rogue that has some wear and tear....can't beat a little mojo! =) (plus I never worry when I have to take it to the Otara market

olieoliver · « **Reply #4 on:** May 25, 2007, 12:16:14 PM »

Welcome John.

Is the bass that was on ebay along with a 5 string Essence fretless by the same seller?

Very Nice axe. My next Alembic will be a fretless.

olieoliver · « **Reply #5 on:** May 25, 2007, 12:19:27 PM »

Or maybe the 5 string was a Epic.

starcycle · « **Reply #6 on:** May 25, 2007, 01:04:22 PM »

i think it is. i recently bought my epic from this seller on ebay and was amazed at the basses he has for sale. i'm sure he'll have more and i would go for them!

mubodude · « **Reply #7 on:** May 25, 2007, 09:11:52 PM »

Hey guys, thanks for the warm welcome!

Yes, this is from the guy who is clearing them out like crazy on ebay, Kent Kline. Great guy, better than I expected and lightning fast shipping. I need to leave him feedback accordingly, by the way. I snagged it for the $1275, shipping included. I'm sticking with 4 stringers for now, but yes..I've got the fever! I told him I'm so tempted to snatch up his others! This thing is like velvet. I do want to go up the road to Santa Rosa and check out the factory. They have some wonderful clips on Youtube as well from the factory tours.

My Epic will arrive Tuesday, so I'll post pics and the report then.

Thanks again!

John

mubodude · « **Reply #8 on:** May 25, 2007, 09:27:43 PM »

Actually, I did save pics of the Epic that's on the way. It's a '98, if I recall. A little mojo, but not too bad from what I can see. A couple nicks and some wear above the strings on the body, between the pickups. Either from a thumb or some Lemmy action. I just hope the frets are decent, if not I'll get it Plekked here in town. I got it for about the same price. I'll be purging guitars to pay for all this! A vicious cycle and continual revolving collection that's always around 23-25. If my wife has to sign for one more 25 lb. oblong box in the near future, I'm toast!

tbrannon · « **Reply #9 on:** May 25, 2007, 10:06:57 PM »

Beautiful Epic as well...love that flame.

Don't be afraid to pull out the brass polish and take apart that bridge. It took me awhile to build up the courage but it was worth it. It's a wonderfully elegant/simple bridge design. Ultimately customizable and yet totally simple. Just be sure to take some pictures with a digital camera before you start- it helps when you go to put all the little bits back together!

Congratulations and welcome again.

Toby

mubodude · « **Reply #10 on:** May 25, 2007, 10:41:20 PM »

Thanks!

Will do, I was thinking that'll be one of the first chores with some Brasso, but it looks like Flitz is the stuff favored, so I may try that. I'm used to taking things apart and putting 'em back together (often with parts left over!), from Floyd Rose tremolos to motorcycle carbuerators. I always like my stuff as pristine as possible and get other peoples' funk off of it and start fresh with my own. Like I mentioned previously, I may take it up to see what they may do a refin for if it's truly rough or like I just did with a Heritage guitar, send it in for a good buffing and tweak wherever needed (if that is possibly an option), it'd be worth it to me. It doesn't appear to have buckle rash, so I'm not that worried. I wish it had fret markers, just for the aesthetics of the classic, unique inlays Alembic uses and to have the signature look of the one and only Alembic.

(Message edited by mubodude on May 25, 2007)

lbpesq · « **Reply #11 on:** May 26, 2007, 08:09:03 AM »

John:

You wrote if not I'll get it Plekked here in town. You must know Gary Brawer as I believe he has the only Plek machine in town. He's done a bunch of work for me - great guy. By the way, if you want to add Alembic ovals to the fretboard, a full set is currently on ebay for $18 BIN.

Bill, tgo

mubodude · « **Reply #12 on:** May 26, 2007, 01:04:23 PM »

John:

You wrote if not I'll get it Plekked here in town. You must know Gary Brawer as I believe he has the only Plek machine in town. He's done a bunch of work for me - great guy. By the way, if you want to add Alembic ovals to the fretboard, a full set is currently on ebay for $18 BIN.

Bill, tgo

Hello Bill,

Yes, Brawer's the man I go to for most work. Richard Collopy is my other guy. Depends on the need. I saw those inlays, but will leave it be in keeping it original spec.

Thanks!

John

mubodude · « **Reply #13 on:** May 27, 2007, 02:26:44 AM »

Screw it, I got the inlays! I just paid that much for a Motorhead t-shirt, so that's nothing for a fine set of new MOP inlays. Now, the dilemma is figuring out who gets the joy of installing them. This is the sort of thing I usually like Collopy to do, he's done some incredible restoration work on a couple of old Gretches I had. He's old school and was a student of the Bay Area's infamous Hideo Kamamoto, a fine luthier that now builds strictly violins down in San Jose, I think. I've never had Brawer's team do this sort of thing, but he's probably got the most modern tooling. Inlays are a simple Dremel router type deal anyway and both luthiers are fully competent for something I'd imagine is pretty routine. They'd need an easily obtainable photo to make sure they go in the correct positions, as well. I'll probably have Brawer do it simply for the reason that he's faster at turnaround, whereby Collopy could take months.

The Epic's gettin' inlaid!

olieoliver · « **Reply #14 on:** May 27, 2007, 06:17:09 AM »

Must be a NICE t-shirt. LOL

Seriously, I'd inlay it too.